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Mission Friends

Long ago, Annie Armstrong spoke of the importance of study of the missions field. What the first corresponding secretary of WMU called “study of the mission field” we would now say, “learning about missions.” She identified this as the driving force between studying God’s Word and how much we pray and give. During this month of the North American Missions Emphasis, it is good for us to consider Annie Armstrong’s insights as we encourage preschoolers to pray for and give to missions. They first need to learn about missions before they can then pray and give.

It is good to consider Annie Armstrong’s insights as we encourage preschoolers to pray for and give to missions.

By the time my Mission Friends arrive in our room at church, they are about worn out! One even told me last week, “I’m tired.” Our church has Mission Friends on Wednesday nights when prayer meeting and mid-week Bible studies are happening for their parents. Many of the preschoolers have been in a weekday preschool program or full day care. Their families come straight to church for the Wednesday evening meal. The preschoolers then go to Preschool Choir, which is fairly structured. Then they come to Mission Friends, and they have had about all they can take. Some evenings, their attention spans have gone out the window!

I have a feeling I am not the only one who experiences this. Are there other Mission Friends leaders whose preschoolers come to you at the end of a long day? Here are some words of encouragement, and I am speaking to myself, also.

Words are so important. In my everyday work, words are extremely important. At WMU, we have editors and copy editors who check the words of writers like me. They make sure writers use the right words (Is it affect or effect? Ensure or insure?) when writing curriculum, articles, web content, and even this blog. Words are important in what we do every day at WMU as we develop missions materials for churches.

Words are important to preschoolers, also. They need to hear words in order to develop their language skills. Long before babies can say the words or three-year-olds can put a sentence together, they need to hear parents and other caregivers saying words and talking in conversation with the preschooler. They learn how to form the words and they develop their vocabulary as they hear words in a rich language environment.

How often do you personally purchase supplies for your Mission Friends class? Most teachers purchase supplies out of their own pockets at least once a month, if not more frequently. Armed with a little creativity, you can find a number of reusable supplies at your local dollar store. Here are a few ideas for dollar-store items that I use with my own preschoolers:

Chip-and-dip trays: Sort objects in the compartments. Use to organize art/craft supplies.

Clothespins: Use to pick up and move different objects; or pin cotton balls, bath poofs, or textured fabrics to create painting tools.

Colanders: Create rain with water in sensory bin; or lead younger preschoolers to thread chenille stems through the holes.

I noticed a few weeks ago in Mission Friends that he started calling his grandfather “Daddy.” For circumstances far beyond his control, C is being raised by his grandparents. They faithfully bring him to Mission Friends every week, and he has always called his grandparents Mawmaw and Pawpaw. When we talk about mommys and daddys in Mission Friends, we try to refer to Mawmaw and Pawpaw also. A red flag went up in my mind when I heard C calling him Daddy. I imagine there is some confusion on his part when he knows that other preschoolers have a mommy and daddy.

In more and more families, grandparents are stepping up to the plate to care for their grandchildren. According to the US Census Bureau, “In 1970, about 3 percent of children lived in grandparent-maintained households; about twice that many (6 percent) lived in grandparent-maintained households in 2012.”1 In some of these homes the parents are also present, but in many the grandparents have sole responsibility for the care of their grandchildren.

In more and more families, grandparents are stepping up to the plate to care for their grandchildren.

“Jesus can do more in a moment than we can do in an entire lifetime, but we have to give Him those moments. We have to make up in our minds that despite the long road ahead, we’re going to travel that distance because it means getting to Jesus in the end.” —Patrick Coats

Throughout the month of January, we are learning how Patrick and Archalena Coats have been willing to go the distance for the Lord in answering His call to plant a church in Miami. The Preschool Resource Team at National WMU thanks you, Mission Friends leaders, for being willing to go the distance for the Lord in answering His call to teach the youngest among us about carrying His gospel to the nations.

We pray that this devotion, written by Mr. Coats will both challenge you and encourage you to go the distance as we begin a new year.

Wrap-around care. I was struck by this phrase that was new to me. I learned of the phrase in the article, “Contagious Love for One More Child,” 1 in Sharing, the newsletter for Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. The article focused on a church whose members have become invested in caring for vulnerable children by becoming foster families, adoptive families, or wrap-around families. The article speaks of wrap-around care as offering resources or support to adoptive and foster parents. Wrap-around care is a way of showing these families they are not alone by giving them encouragement and assistance in various ways.

As a Mission Friends teacher, you may have families in your church who are foster parents or adoptive families. Though not all children in foster or adoptive care have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all of these children have gone through some type of trauma. I like the idea of giving wrap-around care to these foster and adoptive families so they can concentrate on providing for the emotional and physical needs of the child.

Wrap-around care. I was struck by this phrase that was new to me. I learned of the phrase in the article, “Contagious Love for One More Child,” 1 in Sharing, the newsletter for Florida Baptist Children’s Homes. The article focused on a church whose members have become invested in caring for vulnerable children by becoming foster families, adoptive families, or wrap-around families. The article speaks of wrap-around care as offering resources or support to adoptive and foster parents. Wrap-around care is a way of showing these families they are not alone by giving them encouragement and assistance in various ways.

As a Mission Friends teacher, you may have families in your church who are foster parents or adoptive families. Though not all children in foster or adoptive care have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), all of these children have gone through some type of trauma. I like the idea of giving wrap-around care to these foster and adoptive families so they can concentrate on providing for the emotional and physical needs of the child.

Do you know all the different ways that the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering helps missionaries? Below are just a few of the ways that the Christmas offering has helped Jacob and Robin Talley as they serve in Indonesia:

Preschoolers always teach me a lot, but this was particularly true last week as a preschooler taught me about Indonesia. Each year during the first week of December, national WMU has a program and open house to observe the Week of Prayer for International Missions. People from many surrounding churches come to sing Christmas carols together, meet retired and stateside missionaries, pray for missions, and sip a cup of hot apple cider. Sometimes we might Skype a missionary or show a video of a missionary, but this year we were blessed to have special workers who serve in Indonesia as speakers at our Week of Prayer program. They are on stateside assignment and will return to Indonesia soon.